Closure for cosmetic jars and the like



Aug.5, 1941. BENDER I 2,251,563

CLOSURE FOR COSMETIC JARS AND THE LIKE Filed 001:. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Fans. P ,Be mien Aug-5, 1941, H. P. BENADER- 2,251,563

CLOSURE FOR COSMETIC JARS AND THE LIKE- Filed Oct. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v. .mm um H ull llllflg TI --17 I INVENTOR. Hans Bender'- BY I Z 1 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 2,251,563 CLOSURE FOR COSMETIC JA-as AND THE LIKE Hans P. Bender, New York, N. Y., assignor of two-fifthsto Rudolph Pavlovic,.Woodsi'de, Long Island, N. Y.

Application October 6, 1938, Serial Na zssszs 6 Claims.

This invention relates to cosmetic jars for miladys dressing table and especially to the lids or closures therefor. Most of such jars are now equipped, with screw lidsrequiring the use of both hands to open or: close such closures. It is also necessary to provide threads on boththe lid andthe jar. Since the latter is usually of special glass or porcelain, this adds much, to the cost and difilculty of manufacture.

According to my invention, I provide a spring or expansib'le ring, which in its free condition frictionally engages the wall of the jar around the top, with a flat cover above and supporting the ring and which rests on top of the jar. A thumb piece is provided above the top, by which the top may be lifted and also by which the ring may be compressed to release it from frictional engagement with the wall of'the jar. Thus only one hand is needed to open the jar.

Referring to the drawings, showing several forms. my invention may. assume,

Figvl is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved jar andcap.

Fig. 2 isa plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top plate only of the'cap.

.Fig. 4-..'is a transverse section thereof on line l 4. of Fig. 3..

Fig. 5f isa plan. view of the intermediate or split ring. portion of the cap.

Fig..6.is a transverse section. on line 6-6 of Fi'g.,5". V;

. Fig-7.;isa. planview of. the bottom member of the three-part capl Fig. 8. is atransverse section on line 8 B' of Fig. 7'. I

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a slightly modified form of cap;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same.

Fig..l'1:isa.plan. view of the top part of the cap only.

Fig. 12 is a transverse section on line I2-I2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a plan View of the intermediate or resilient portion of the cap.

Fig. 14 is a transverse section on line I l-l4 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a plan View of the bottom member of the cap.

Fig. 16 is a transverse section on line Iii-I6 of Fig. 15. v

Fig. 17 is a vertical section through the top portion of a slightly modified form of jar or container.

Fig. 18 is asimilar view showing a still further;

modification.

Describing first the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the jar proper is shown at 'I. As shown-it may be made with smooth, straight-sides' and without threads and is usually made of. heavy opal glass or plastic material. The top or closure I have shown as made in three-parts.

The top plate 2" is preferably of the same diameter" as the outside of the jar and normally rests on the annular flat top E9 of the jar. The bottom plate 3' is secured'to the top plate 2 in spaced relation thereto by a'pl'urality of pins or rivets 4 on the top plate, the reduced ends of which project intoor through apertures "5' in the bot tom plate. When in place, the'bottom rests against the shoulders 6 on the pins 4. All partsmay be made of plastic material such as Bakelite, although obviously other materials may be used. Between said plates there is looselyheld a split disc ordivided plate l, which, like the other plates maybe made of Bakelite. Preferably it has a thickened split rim 8 on the periphery of which is preferably secured a thin layer of friction producting material such as cork or friction tape 9. Thumb pieces l0 and H are secured to each half of the split disc adjacent the dividing slot I2, which project through a slot I 3 in the top plate. The pins 4 project through holes Min dijsc'l. These holes should be made of greater diameterthanthe' collar portions 6 of pins 4, at least in the direction of move-'- merit or said pins as thumb pieces l0 and Hare squeezed so as to permit the contraction of the rim 8. The ends of the holes may also act as stops to limit the movement of the rim and the sides'as guides. The rim 8 is so designed that it forms'a' perfect circle when partially compressed within the top-of the jar. Squeezing the thumb pieces together produced an oval figure of less diameter and when the thumb pieces are released after the lid is removed, an oval figure of greater diameter is produced. It should be noted that, when closed, the top plate 2 is flush with the outside of the jar and is leveled so that it is practically impossible to remove the closure except by pressing the thumb pieces in.

It is obvious that my invention may assum many forms and shapes, one of which is shown in Figs. 9 to 13. In these figures the spring disc or plate 1' is provided with thumb pieces Ill and l I which lie flush with or almost flush with .the top of the rim 8 and the top 2' has a recessed central opening which merges with slot I3. When assembled, therefore, the thumb pieces do not project above the top of plate 2' so that the jars may be stacked one upon the other for shipment. In this case also the rivets or pins 4' are shown on the bottom plate, with the receiving holes 5 in the top plate.

In this case also, instead of making the intermediate plate I and ring 8 in one divided piece, I have shown them as divided into two halves I and 'l" hinged together by a hinge pin l5, the two parts being normally spread apart by a split metallic spring ring I6 fitted within the groove formed by the raised portion of the rings 8 and 8". may remain in one piece as it is quite flexible.

My closure is therefore equally well adapted for shipping as for use by the buyer. To insure keeping the lid on in shipment, the inside of the jar may be provided with a bead is (Fig. 18) near the top, the rim passing below the bead when in place and securely locking the lid in place until released by compressing the thumb pieces.

Although my closure does not require any special form of jar, it is obvious that the top of the jar may be recessed, if desired, as shown at [9 in Fig. 17, to provide a recess for the spring ring 8.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, it is obvious that my closure is adapted for other shapes of jars and containers than round, such as angular or elliptical. Also, my invention is applicable to many types of receptacles in addition to cosmetic jars, such as tobacco and cigarette jars, etc.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A removable lid for jars comprising a top plate having a slot therein, and of greater diameter than the inside of the jar, a spaced bottom plate of less diameter than the inside of the jar, means securing said plates together in spaced relationship, an intermediate spring ring like member loosely held between said plates and adapted in its normal expanded position to frictionally engage a wall of said jar, and thumb pieces on said spring member projecting through said slot whereby said spring member may be contracted and released and the top lifted in one operation.

2. A removable closure for smooth top jars comprising a top plate having a central opening, a divided disc loosely held thereunder, the parts being connected at one point near the periphery thereof with a resilient connecting portion, said disc having a frictional periphery, and a thumb The frictional covering 9, however;

piece on each half of said disc adjacent the split therein and projecting through the opening in said top plate, whereby the closure may be removed in one operation by squeezing and lifting the thumb pieces.

3. In a cosmetic jar, a multi-piece cap therefor comprising top and bottom spaced plates of plastic material, the top plate having the greater diameter and a central opening, a disc-like element also of plastic material loosely held between said plates, said element being slotted across the major portion of its diameter to give it resilience, and being in its normal position of slightly greater diameter than said bottom plate, there being a frictional periphery on said element to engage the inside of the jar, and plastic lugs on said disc projecting through said opening in the top plate by which the disc-like element may be contracted.

4. A removable closure for smooth top jars, comprising a top plate having a central opening, a divided fiat disc loosely held thereunder and having a thickened rim which connects the discs at one point with a resilient connecting portion, a split ring of friction producing material secured to the periphery of said rim, and a thumb piece on each half of said disc adjacent the split therein and projecting through the opening in said top plate, whereby the closure may be removed in one operation by squeezing and lifting the thumb pieces, and whereby the closure is normally held in place by the yielding frictional engagement of said material with the top inner periphery of the jar.

5. In a cosmetic jar or the like, a cap therefor comprising a top plate having an opening therein, a normally expanded split spring ring loosely held under said plate and within the top of the jar when closed and frictionally held in place by the resilience of said ring, and a twopart thumb piece on said cap, one part connected adjacent one end of said ring and the other part connected adjacent the other end of said ring, both parts projecting through the opening in said top plate, which piece when squeezed releases said ring from its frictional engagement and by which the cap may be lifted from the jar.

6. A removable closure for smooth top jars comprising a top plate adapted to rest on the top of the jar, an expansible member secured thereunder of lesser diameter than said top plate but in its normal expanded condition of somewhat greater diameter than the inside of the jar, said member comprising a pair of hinged rings having frictional peripheries and spring means normally holding said rings expanded, and a pair of adjacent thumb pieces accessible from above said top plate for reducing the diameter of said member and lifting the closure.

HANS P. BENDER. 

